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MILFORD - "Flight Night", the annual athletic boosters event at Milford High School, has featured such guests in the past as former Reds Sean Casey and Pete Rose. Though Rose will sign nearly anything, this year's guest offered memorabilia collectors a unique opportunity.

On March 9 at the Oasis Golf Club and Conference Center, legendary college basketball coach Bob Knight was the featured speaker. For the right price, you not only could get a Bob Knight signed basketball but also a folding chair.

For those unfamiliar with the colorful former coach of the Indiana Hoosiers, he once tossed a chair across the floor in disgust after being called for a technical foul against Purdue in 1985. More than 30 years later, signed Bob Knight chairs have fetched as much as $350. At Milford's "Flight Night" the proceeds of such sales, live auctions, silent auctions, raffles and admissions to see "The General," will benefit the Milford athletic department in a variety of ways.

"It's been a great, community event," Milford Athletic Director Mark Trout said. "The money goes straight toward benefiting the athletes, teams, and Milford school district. The largest purchase that was recently made was the turf field by the athletic boosters. That's still being paid off and should be paid off next year."

Other improvements in recent years have included the softball and baseball complexes where $425,000 was spent.

"Tennis courts was another investment by the athletic boosters," Trout added. "Our district didn't have tennis courts until recently."

Milford is currently the largest school in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference but will be surpassed next school year by the new West Clermont High School.

As for the former coach of Army, Indiana and Texas Tech, the "main attraction" was able to share a few thoughts on his career with The Enquirer before signing his highly-sought-after chairs and entertaining the audience with his blunt, unique style.

When you win 902 career games, you can make your own rules.

Included in Knight's victories was a perfect 32-0 NCAA championship run with Indiana in the 1975-'76 season. A documentary is out on that squad on Showtime. Without an injury to key player Scott May late in the '75 season, the Hoosiers may have had back-to-back years of perfection.

Following that disappointment, Knight urged his Hoosiers to come out of the gate strong, which they did by beating the Soviet National Team in an exhibition and then defending national champion UCLA in the opener.

"The day before our first practice, I got the team together," Knight said. "Before we ever went out to practice, I told the team, the only thing you can do that will be the equivalent of what you're capable of doing is to go undefeated. There's no excuse for you to not go undefeated and win the national championship if you're willing to put everything into it."

While some of his more entertaining moments live forever on YouTube, Bob Knight had a tremendous graduation record and gave many memorable Senior Night speeches.

"I thought that's what I was there for," Knight said of graduating players. "There's only so many kids that can play in the NBA. They can't all play. If they have a degree, they can all find a good job somewhere. Sometimes I would ignore the father, as I always thought the mother was the biggest key as to whether 'Johnny' was going to go to school and play basketball. This kid will graduate and have a degree, that's the only thing I ever promised."

Knight makes periodic appearances and is returning near Assembly Hall at IU on March 30 when he speaks at a function at Bloomington North High School. His Cincinnati appearance brought home fond memories.

"I've always enjoyed Cincinnati," Knight said. "Sparky (Anderson) was a great friend of mine and I really liked Bench and Pete (Rose). I can't tell you how many times I drove over here for baseball games. I've always appreciated wherever I've been in Cincinnati and the people I've been around."

His last Indiana team to play in Cincinnati defeated the Bearcats of Bob Huggins 81-60 in December of 1991. Both teams would go on to the Final Four.

Todd Moore, vice president of the Milford Boosters and "Flight Night" chairperson, has been instrumental in getting speakers such as Knight. Next year's affair will also have a Big Ten flavor as former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel and one of his quarterbacks Troy Smith will attend.